Newton declares to be a pro - officially
The 5-at-10 will never, ever begrudge a college athlete for leaving early for a shot at the pros as long as they have a somewhat reasonable chance at, you know, actually making the pros. The window to make a lifetime of money is so small and one injury can change everything.
So it should come as no surprise that Heisman winner Cam Newton announced his decision to enter the NFL draft. Newton won almost every award leading Auburn to the national championship. He accounted for 51 touchdowns (20 rushing, 30 passing, one receiving), he set an SEC record for rushing for a quarterback and led the nation in pass efficiency. It was quite possibly the best single season in college football history.
It was also among the most controversial. In early November allegations starting swirling about Newton's recruitment, especially his visit to Mississippi State. A million gallons of ink were spilt hashing and rehashing Newton's case - yes, the 5-at-10 punched a couple of kabillion keystrokes on Newton during the saga - and in the end the NCAA shrugged its shoulders and declared that Cam Newton was not aware of the solicitation for his services that his father Cecil had made to Mississippi State.
Now, Newton will take his talents to the NFL, and the jokes are running rampant in other SEC locales (early favs are "Cam is going to the NFL, where he'll have to take a pay cut as a rookie." And "Wonder if Newton will keep his dad as his agent - he got him a pretty good deal the first time around.")
Money aside, it would be difficult to imagine Newton staying another season for another year of controversy, questions and accusations.
So Newton's departure is met with two lines of thinking:
The pro-Auburn crowd says, "Good-bye Cam, thanks for the memories."
The anti-Auburn crowd says, "Good riddance Cam, thanks for the comic material."
Article: Auburn QB Cam Newton to enter NFL draft
Newton's legacy
Whether you think the Newton situation was overblown or an abomination, there is no debating that Newton's season was something special. He was the driving part of the most surprising national champ in the BCS era.
Few thoughts as Newton heads to the NFL:
- Tim Tebow's college career was much like Christian Laettner's. Each is arguably the greatest college player of all time. Tebow won two national titles and a Heisman at Florida; Laettner won two titles and helped Duke to four Final Fours. Each stayed four years. Newton's career more resembles Danny Manning's. Newton was a big-time recruit like Manning. Newton was derailed early and picked up the pieces like Manning. Newton was the primary reason his team won a stunning national title like Manning, who led a No. 6-seeded Kansas team to the title in his final season with Jayhawks.
- Newton will be the namesake of some extensive and exact NCAA legislation that details the impropriety of parents asking for money. Of this, there is no doubt.
- Newton, who like fellow Auburn All-American Nick Fairley (who will almost assuredly declare for the draft today around noon), were junior college transfers. Their success may open the paths for junior college kids a little more. It was not that long ago that Steve Spurrier's line of thinking that transfers are someone else's problem coming to your program was the primary view. There will always be risks in transfers, but the success of the Newtons and Fairleys and the Terrence Codys will make teams think twice about it.
- Newton delivered a national title to Auburn, a school that has longed for one since its only national crown in 1957. That will never be forgotten by the Tigers faithful. Never.
- Newton spent three years in college and leaves with three three national championship rings. He was a backup on Florida's 2008 title team; he led Blinn (Texas) to the junior college title in 2009; and of course Auburn's run in 2010.
- He is going to measure off the charts at the NFL combine. In games this year, the 6-foot-6, 250-pounder was running with defensive backs (including surefire top-10 pick LSU cornerback Patrick Peterson), ran over linebackers and through the arm tackles of defensive linemen. In the SEC, mind you. Plus, at Kentucky this year, he was diving out of bounds and threw the ball more than 40 yards for a completion.
Article: Won and done: Auburn QB Cam Newton to enter draft
Reshaped SEC
Newton's departure - and the almost certainty that Fairley is leaving, too - means Auburn will have to replace a lot from its national title team. The Tigers will lose 20-plus seniors to graduation plus the league's top offensive (Newton) and defensive (Fairley) players. And in the SEC West, where finishing fifth was good enough to finish No. 15 in the country, there is little mercy.
Want to know good the SEC West was in 2010? The research staff at the 5-at-10 came up with this little stat: The top five teams in the SEC West (Auburn, LSU, Arkansas, Alabama and Mississippi State) not only finished in the top 15 in the country, they lost exactly two games outside the division. Alabama lost at South Carolina when Stephen Garcia had the game of his life, and Arkansas lost to Ohio State in the Sugar Bowl. That's it. The West's Big 5 finished 46-2 when they face someone not in the Big 5.
Falcons-Packers, rematch that's tough to call
The Falcons host the Packers on Saturday night, and while the game is very difficult to call, there are a few things that make this one arguably the most intriguing game of the weekend.
- This will be the only game played in a dome this weekend. Therefore this will be the only game not played in like sub-15 degree weather. Yes, the elements should be a part of the game, but the lack of winter wonderment in this one will likely mean it may be the most entertaining game from a football standpoint.
- This game has the best matchup of quarterbacks this weekend, and this could be the next generation's Peyton Manning-Tom Brady-type of rivalry. In fact, other than the Colts (Manning) and the Patriots (Brady), is there a team in the NFL that would not trade their quarterback straight up for either Atlanta's Matt Ryan or Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers? Maybe San Diego, which has Phillip Rivers, but that's just a maybe.
- The winner of this game is heading to the Super Bowl. Which team that will be is tough to determine. Which brings us to the picks....
Article: Falcons' Finneran takes lead role in locker room
NFL picks
Here we go, and as always these are suggestions for entertainment purposes only. Or if you have the hankering to make a wager, make it for a nickel or a Coke-Cola (WINK, WINK), you know, to keep it interesting:
- Baltimore at Pittsburgh (minus-3): This line has stayed amazingly even all week. The teams split their two meetings this year, but the Ravens' win came when Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was in NFL timeout. These teams are similar - aggressive, physical, intimidating and happy to play a defensive slugfest. That said, the Ravens array of receiving weapons give them a slight edge. On the like scale (1 is liking it very little; 5 is loving, Loving, LOVING it), this is the tightest pick of the week. Call it a slight like (a 1.5, maybe?) for the Ravens, who have a healthy Todd Heap and that will be the difference.
- Green Bay at Atlanta (minus-3): The line has grown, going from Falcons minus-1 to start the week to a field goal today. That means a lot of the gambling money is on Atlanta, which means the 5-at-10 likes the Packers. Sometimes it's just that simple. (Hey, it's the bookies that drive the nice cars and the casinos that build those huge hotels, not the other way around).
- Seattle at Chicago (minus-10): The Seahawks stunned the Saints (and, yes, the 5-at-10) last week, They are again getting 10 points. This pick is simple on your perspective: Do think good Jay Cutler or evil Jay Cutler shows up for Chicago? The 5-at-10 has a serious aversion to laying double digits with an error-prone quarterback making his first playoff start. The points look good even if the Seahawks don't, but the real play here is over the 40. But what do we know.
- New York Jets at New England (minus-9): The 5-at-10 thinks the Jets show up here Sunday. For all the talking and all the bluster, Rex Ryan can motivate his team. But he can summon the Four Horseman and pull out every Gipper card this side of South Bend, and it may not matter Sunday. The Jets and all their gum-flapping have tugged on Superman's cape, and the 5-at-10 thinks Tom Brady is going to put on a show Sunday.
The points are an afterthought: You think Brady and Belichick and Co. are not thinking about running its up a bit?
Until Monday.